Los caballeros

I thoroughly enjoyed this series, although I acknowledge that I easily cleared two hurdles that viewers with lower ratings might not: I loved Guy Ritchie's style and didn't find it getting old on me; I didn't know about any movie, so I'm seeing these as "fresh" takes from the start.

Every character in this series was fun to get to know and to try to understand. What complexity. What eccentricity along with believable nuance.

Every actor succeeded in pulling off finely crafted individuals that fit perfectly into the sometimes off-the-wall plot.

They lure viewers in, which is a great reason to keep going.

Another great reason, of course, is that plot.

What a ride!

When I initially tuned in, I anticipated a B-grade, easy-watching spin-off from a beloved film. Little did I know that Guy Ritchie was involved. After the first episode, I realized what I'd signed up for and relished every moment of the journey.

True to form, the series delivered a plethora of dynamic characters, accompanied by snappy, witty dialogue and intricately woven plot points. It epitomizes the quintessential Guy Ritchie style, offering an extended exploration of characters and storylines.

In conclusion, if you have a penchant for gritty UK mobster shows, this one is tailor-made for you. Sit back, relax, and savor the experience.

You can tell Guy Ritchie only wrote (co-wrote) and directed the first two episodes as the show starts off with a crack and runs into a muddy and convoluted plot in episodes 5-7 and a fairly uncreative ending in episode 8.

The show shines with the casting - primarily Kaya Scodelario as Susie Glass. Actually everyone is strong except for Theo James who I thought was miscast and would think he is a poor actor given his track record had it not been for White Lotus Season 2. I don't think he has found his acting niche yet but this isn't it.

There are still Guy Ritchie vibes in the rest of the show after episode 2 and a fun and entertaining cast of characters. Messy plot in the back half and a little uncreative for Ritchie standards but a fun and high energy show.

If you like this sort of thing: wild, over the top and sometimes ruthless British blokes with a dark sense of humor, you'll probably watch in one binge sitting.

For myself, I found a lot of new faces, so I didn't know what to expect. The leads are entertaining. Vinnie Jones is a nice addition, as a more laid back, but don't mess with me fellow.

The old English estate setting is great to look at in itself.

Once again, Guy Richie has no problem creating a rich environment, and dialog is cleaver and sharp.

Grab a bottle of wine and enjoy the ride.

Never going to top Lock, Stock, Etc or Snatch, but this is great fun.

Highly recommended.

I was a big fan of both Lock Stock and Snatch when they initially came out and felt fresh and fun, but I haven't enjoyed Guy Ritchie's more recent work nearly as much.

Having seen the trailer I was intrigued by this show. I sat through it all and there were exciting moments, but I didn't love it sadly. It felt hollow to me.

This feels like Guy Ritchie's greatest hits rearranged and presented as a TV show. You will have seen most of the setup used here before, but this time many of the actors are different. Maybe that was my main issue with it, it didn't feel fresh and exciting, as it is a familiar format at this point and there is a risk of boredom setting in.

It's undeniable that Ritchie knows his way around a camera. The show looks and sounds great. He has a great cast - Vinnie Jones is understated and quite excellent, but for me the story feels clunky, occasionally repetitive and surprisingly preposterous. In fact I found some of the dialogue to be cringe inducing. Some of it feels as though it had been intended to land as sophisticated and profound, but much of just sounds bad. This was never the case with some of his initial movies.

I believe there is a much better show that could have been carved out of this with some stricter editing, as all of the pieces are there. For me there is just too much going on, it doesn't all make sense and sadly it seems to lack a genuine sense of irony.

Not terrible, not great. Somewhere in between.